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by: JasonLancaster
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Pickup trucks are extremely practical vehicles, great for hauling cargo. Some people, however, often carry gear like motorcycles, lawnmowers, furniture or pallets of wood, which are too bulky to fit snugly in the truck's box, but which could be damaged by too much side-to-side movement. Newer pickups are usually outfitted with tie-downs and cutouts so that you can attach ropes and chains. However, these are located at very fixed positions, and might be difficult or inconvenient to use.

Putco offers a stylish and useful solution to this problem. They have designed a line of side rails which stretch the length of your truck bed. Easy to install, these rails are made out of chromed stainless steel and are easy to install. Not only are they strong, but they look good too!

The rails are easy to install with simple hand tools, and anchor into your truck`s existing tie-down cutouts. There are two curved anchors and a long steel bar, which you join together. Once this is done, simply place the anchors atop the cutouts, and tighten the mounting bar from the top using an Allan key. The rails feature no visible clamps, and there is a rubber gasket which goes between the rail and your pain to prevent scuffing or scratching.

The simplest Putco locker side rails are a simple steel tube with a cutout at each anchor end in case of more involved tying. These can hold up to 1000, which is more than most hauling will require. A heftier look can be achieved by upgrading to 2.5 inch tubing with the same design, but these "Boss" railings, as called by Putco, can only hold 500 pounds.

If you need to have more tie-downs without cluttering your truck's bed rails, Putco Pop Up Lockers are worth a shot. 4 hidden tie-downs rated at 500 pounds lie along a railing that can be "popped" up when you need it, and which looks solid otherwise, without even the openings at the anchor points found on the standard model.

If you don't really need a tie-down but like the look of them anyways, the Putco SSR Locker is a great accessory for you. It adds a lot of shine because of its chrome construction, but won't overwhelm your truck like wheel well flares will, which compete with truck's wheels for visual attention because they're so close together. Adding chrome where none was will give a better effect.

Bed side rails are also useful for people who frequently find themselves climbing in and out of the bed of their truck, especially in wet conditions where bed liners or bare steel can be especially slippery. The rails make for excellent hand grips, and can also be good for providing you with leverage when reaching over the side of the truck bed for items down on the cargo floor. The only real downside to installing railings like these is that it makes it impossible to use a tonneau cover - although if you are regularly hauling large gear, that probably wasn't an option anyway. Putco side rails are a great way to dress up your truck. They're fairly inexpensive, at about $200, and they add a practical edge at the same time.

About the Author

Author Jason Lancaster operates TundraHeadquarters.com, a website with information, news, and reviews of Toyota Tundra parts and Tundra accessories.

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